Veteran Writes Obama A Letter A Day, Asks ‘Mr. President, What Are You Doing to America?’

[pl_amazon_book_order src=”http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=perslibedige-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00DRWEKT0&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr”]Francis M. Del Vecchio, a 67-year-old Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, seems like the kind of guy country superstar Merle Haggard sang about in his hit classic “Fightin’ Side of Me.” And you can bet that he believes President Barack Obama is running down our country. If you have any doubt, read one of the nearly 300 letters the man has sent to the White House since Obama’s November re-election.

Since Nov. 18, Del Vecchio, who suffers throat cancer from exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, has started his day by writing the President a letter based on the relevant news of the day. He has since compiled the letters, along with a few White House responses, in a self-published book. The title of his work, Mr. President, What Are You Doing to America?, offers a bit of insight about the contents of his regular correspondences.

It’s not that Del Vechhio wants to annoy the President or holds any personal hatred of the Nation’s leader, but that he feels the current Administration is doing unprecedented damage to the true American spirit with continuous attempts to shove entitlements and wasteful spending down American throats.

“I think he’s a good man, I really do,” Del Vecchio told Gannett. “I think he has a lot of great qualities and I agree with a lot of the things he wants to do. But he really lacks management skills in getting them done the right way, so that’s why I write the letters.”

Del Vecchio began his first letter: “Dear Mr. President, I am a disabled veteran from the Viet Nam era, and a proud supporter of the [sic] America and the values it represents. I did not vote for you and on more than one occasion have made some very unkind remarks about you. You are an easy target to criticize, especially when I am not standing in your shoes. So, I must put my political objections aside and help my fellow American to help all Americans… Please give my letters due diligence. I promise to be brief, fair, firm and honest.”

What follows is a collection of suggestions and critiques — likely no different than those many average Americans would have given face time with the President — peppered with occasional tones of sarcasm, dry humor and, sometimes, outright anger.

On Jan. 18, Del Vecchio pondered the circular logic of military-industrial foreign policy: “Why are we sending tanks and aircraft to Egypt? It doesn’t make any sense to me. We supply Israel, who are threatened by every nation around them and we supply the people that threaten them.”

But, the next month, he backed the President’s authority to use drone strikes against citizens overseas — likely a reaction to lawmaker questions of drone strike Constitutionality, which reached crescendo with Senator Rand Paul’s 13-hour drone filibuster in March.

“If you think you need to drone someone or a group of people and there are Americans outside the U.S. borders, THEN DO IT,” Del Vecchio wrote. “Don’t worry about Congress, when they start doing their job right, then maybe they can tell you how to do your job for the safety and preservation of this country.”

Del Vecchio reacted to the first White House response he received concerning his 103rd letter to the President, a critique of Obama’s debt and tax positions, mockingly.

“The person that penned this letter must have been smoking the grass from the White House lawn,” Del Vecchio lamented. “Referring to the tax code as the most progressive tax code in decades is a crock of donkey dust, there is nothing progressive about it. It is old and antiquated and the only thing progressive about it is the increase. It resembles a copy of some of your speeches.”

Perhaps Del Vecchio’s project is a fool’s errand. Perhaps his letters never make it past a low-level White House mail clerk. And perhaps his policy positions don’t jive with your own.

But it’s hard not to think that the veteran and retiree has the right idea: If every American wrote a single letter — not just to the President, maybe to a Congressman or local politician — every day, the people running the country would remember we’re out here, from sea to shining sea, not only at election time, but year-round.

Post navigation

Sam Rolley

Sam Rolley began a career in journalism working for a small town newspaper while seeking a B.A. in English. After covering community news and politics, Rolley took a position at Personal Liberty Media Group where could better hone his focus on his true passions: national politics and liberty issues. In his daily columns and reports, Rolley works to help readers understand which lies are perpetuated by the mainstream media and to stay on top of issues ignored by more conventional media outlets.

Join the Discussion

Comment Policy: We encourage an open discussion with a wide range of viewpoints, even extreme ones, but we will not tolerate racism, profanity or slanderous comments toward the author(s) or comment participants. Make your case passionately, but civilly. Please don't stoop to name calling. We use filters for spam protection. If your comment does not appear, it is likely because it violates the above policy or contains links or language typical of spam. We reserve the right to remove comments at our discretion.

Robbie

This guy has too much time on his hands.

momo

Why? Because he’s a vet asking the president what the hell he’s doing to the country, a country he fought for? Ever been in a foxhole when the bullets are flying over your head and you’re praying to God to just make it out alive? If not, don’t judge.

Vis Fac

It ‘s easy for those who have never done anything but live off others to pass judgment. After all they are the chosen ones that get the freebies that we taxpayers pay for. Just like ODUMBO having no experience which entitles him to dictate to others.Semper-Fi

xjcv8jag

It is a sad sad time now . Our once great nation is sliding into deep deep trouble in a lot of ways. Does Detroit ring a bell? Looks like we have another battle to attend, my powder is dry and the uniform is pressed. ( might need a haircut ) I feel it should be a requirement that military service be on the resume of all elected government personnel.From a ” Swabbie ” to a ” Jarhead ” Thank you !!!ADR 2, HS2, Med Evac Nam 68-69

Vis Fac

I wouldn’t stop with the politicians, I feel that the military prepares people to excel in life. Common sense, common courtesy, and discipline are assets everyone should have yet the majority severely lack. A major reason why our country is in the shape it is.Funny you should mention the uniform as mine still fits and my hair is still regulation as well.Semper FiFair winds and following seas Swabbie

xjcv8jag

Just to put a chuckle in the day– I may have to loosen a couple of those thirteen buttons after 45 years but I still offer the best transportation you can get and you must admit the food on board is the best.

Vis Fac

Food on board was indeed good however the submariners have the best. Different queasy feeling at 60 fathoms though.Semper-Fi

xjcv8jag

This does not pertain to the article but i do not know how to respond out of this menu.My family has been here since 1596 and all were sea going men. My great uncle Capt James Buddington was a whaler and cargo merchant who made the desk in the oval office from the timbers of the British ship Resolute that he salvaged from the arctic. WW1 and WW 11 all male members were navy, WW 11 was all submariners, except one who was PT Boats with Kennedy in the Philippines . I feel the water is meant to be ON not IN so I went Naval Air. My Uncle Bob Burr is 101 years old and the oldest living Submariner in the states. And you are right as he also says the Sub food is the best !!!!! He just happened to be a cook !!!Keep up the good work as I and many others enjoy your comments.If you can’t stand behind our troops please feel free to stand in front of them.

Vis Fac

I really enjoyed the information you imparted here. Unfortunately My family came from Germany where we carried the stigma of aggression, even though we were vehemently opposed to the Nazi Party We fled because we were to be exterminated for not joining (I was a tot and didn’t understand)My father was an engineer (I followed later) and worked for the government (as I did later) Unfortunately my father was murdered because someone had an ax to grind with Germans when I was young.I wanted to atone for what my homeland country men had caused and joined the armed forces later became an engineer and opened my own firm (a long long story) in essence I tried to do what my father didn’t have the chance to doSemper-Fi.

xjcv8jag

How interesting is this !!! Our country has always been a melting pot of all cultures and nations, the family I spoke of is my mothers side, my fathers side escaped Germany at the very beginning of the political change. Dad was the tot. Unfortunately they are all gone now and we still no very little of the history of their name and family. We do know there was some Jewish heritage though.I am very sorry you lost your dad in such a tragic manner.

Vis Fac

I also had to endure the loss of a son by a a career felon that a liberal judge let free.Semper-Fi

xjcv8jag

No never been in a foxhole but I was the driver of the helicopter that dragged their asses out,and I know what what it is like to have bullets inches from my body. I hope you were not one who needed my bird.I still think every day of the ones I got out only to have them transported to the ” Angel Flight ” At least they made it home.My too much time is spent thinking of them.

Vis Fac

More time than you have brains!! Oh that’s right you are suffering for chronic cerebral necrosis brought on by constant listening to lame stream media and drinking the Kool Aid served up by BSDNC

xjcv8jag

Having too much time on your hands is sometimes an affect of Agent Orange. At least this man is doing something productive with that ” too much time ” A friend of mine spent over thirty years with ” too much time ” waiting for the benefits he deserved from agent orange, he chose to become a minister and is now the Chaplin of our Amvets Post.Good people do good things with ” Too Much Time ”What do you do with your time?HS2 Med Evac 68-69 USN Proud to have served

xjcv8jag

Having too much time on your hands is sometimes an affect of Agent Orange. At least this man is doing something productive with that ” too much time ” A friend of mine spent over thirty years with ” too much time ” waiting for the benefits he deserved from agent orange, he chose to become a minister and is now the Chaplin of our Amvets Post.Good people do good things with ” Too Much Time ”What do you do with your time?HS2 Med Evac 68-69 USN Proud to have served

John

He is doing something with his time, are you? I guess you are voluntarily being brainwashed. Are you aware that when the Iron curtain came down you had thousands of former Soviet block propagandist and physcoligist. They were quickly hired by the likes of the New York times and all of the National leftist media TV stations. The brainwashing by mass media was practiced for 70 years in the Soviet Block countries so they had learned what worked and what didn’t. So the only thing you had to do to become another convert was to watch one of their stations or read the leftist newspaper. The Washington Post is another one who hired a bunch of them. So when someone calls you or someone you know a brainwashed liberal, they usually know what they are talking about. Once brainwashed you are then reprogrammed.

http://batman-news.com samurai

OMG! I see another brainless twit as come here again. It has to be someone that didn’t have the nads to serve. Must be a coward and traitor. Why don’t just shut up and go home. At least this man served our country and is trying what he can to bring it back on the course it is supposed to be on. The ways of our Christian founding fathers, the Constitution, our Christian founding, and bak to God. This is what happens when you 5th columners get a foothold somewhere. The country begins to decay from the inside until it dies. Rome, Greece, Byzantium, and many others were the same way throughout history. here is something about you “messiah” in office.http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/08/07/In-rebuke–Obama-cancels-Moscow-summit-with-PutinFOR GOD AND COUNTRY! 하나님하고 나라를 위해서!You need both love of country and faith in GOD to be a patriot. This leaves you out.“The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God and that there is no force of law in public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence, if ‘thou shalt not covet’ and ‘thou shalt not steal’ are not commandments of heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free.”John AdamsSigner of the Bill of Rights2nd President of the U.S.Devout Christian

me

Not too much time. This man cares about this country. He and every Vet out there was willing to give his life for this country. Maybe you didn’t read the part where he is suffering from Cancer due to Agent Orange that we Vietnam Vets were exposed to. Maybe more of us should be more like this man and stand up to this idiot that pretends to be president

Warrior

Francis, I sincerely hope you do live long enough to fully reap the rewards of “fundamental transformation”. Or not! Got your “waiver” yet?

disqus_Sb0Tz4ZxB0

My dad was a proud Marine who, thankfully, is not here to see the destruction that has resulted from this administrations policies. He would be appalled, as am I.

Debbie Hogan Tate

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of the military people who has responded to this article. Thank you for serving and keeping our butts safe and free. I personally can never repay you enough. An the same goes to those who did not return home and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom..

Skid Marks

LET US ALL COPY HIS LETTERS OVER OUR SIGNATURES AND SEND THEM TO THE WHITE HOUSE BY THE TENS OF THOUSANDS. SOME MAY GET THROUGH !

poopsonstick

really everyone is tired of our government but you are all to wrapped up in material things to realize we need to march on washington dc!! we the people of this nation need to take back whats ours! and put these politicians in their place with new safe gaurds so they cant take kick backs from companies and people. you either work for the poeple or against the people, draw your line in the sand now. and be ready stand up for your freedom!

Thegovernment’s assault on your personal liberties, including transgressions by the NSA and IRS, proves NOTHING IS OFF-LIMITS! But they’re not your only enemy. In your FREE copy of The Ultimate Privacy Guide discover simple, effective strategies for making Big Business and Big Government BUTT OUT of your personal life!

We will not sell or rent your email address to anyone for any reason. You can un-subscribe at any time.

Look Inside The Ultimate Privacy Guide

The unconstitutional assault on America's civil liberties is continuing with fanatical vigor thanks to the government's gross misuse of power, including transgressions by the NSA and IRS. NOTHING IS OFF-LIMITS! Government SPYING and MANIPULATION is now becoming the American way. But they’re not your only enemy. In your FREE copy of The Ultimate Privacy Guide you'll discover how to: